TRIBE RULED BY WOMAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17640, 2 December 1931, Page 9

TRIBE RULED BY WOMAN

BEER AS SOCIAL MEDIUM AND AS MEANS OF PAYMENT ,TOIIAXXFX[3URG, Oct. 15. Some facts regarding the habits and political organisation of the Balobedn, a tribe living in the northern Transvaal, and Hie part played bv native beer in their lives were mentioned in the course of addresses to members of the Witwatersrand University Bantu Study Association. Tlie speakers, who have been making a stiidv of these nrople. described tlie social, religions and economic si"-nir,c-nneo of beer among them. 1-eer is not reminded merely as an iiitoyieuting drink. There are several different kinds, ranging from that made from sacred grain to a vci’v mibl varietv fed to Ivbies. Beer drinkings are fremiont but seldom unrulv. Eaeli beer drinking is aecornnanied In- a event deal of eore. monial. and the beer eannof bn d-nuk until it has been ‘‘talked about.” Beer is also used as a means of ne'-ment and in barter, and the. doctor, the si.-d|e,l tanners of bides, and others are paid i” beer ,af the time of tile harvest, when it is made. There are no sacrifiees for rain, beer being offered instead. When the people nrav for good erons to their ancestors, who are regarded as providers of everything. beer is offered in nlaeation. When there has been a split, between two families more or less closely rebated, it is always bv means of beer that friendly relations are restored.

The Balobedn are remarkable in liav. ing a rpieen as bead of the tribe wbMi is divided into villages' and districts. The district headman lias control over a more nr less large area. There are ahout 50 districts, ranging in size from about, two square miles to 10 square mites. The district headman rides LG district bv means rtf a council of acbflt males from Ids own village and the neighboring village headmen.

The ultimate ruler is the oneen. who has with her two ooupciflors. one of whom deals with affairs relating to the tribe and the country, the other with the religions side of life. A envious feature, a sn---ivd of the dnvs wl’»a there was a Idne. is that the oneen lie's o number of “wives.” daughters of smaO chiefs, who are sent to her "»d vnvl.for her until tliev marry. The oneen I-I.ar an nnoTieial husband, who is ne’-m-TiiopfioneO S'lio wields - great o- 1 n* power and receives unfailing obedience from her people.

Tf is planned l*v fbic nnoMp tint fbpv ero dpseonded direct from tho greet Monomatapa.